THE HOMECOMING
by Zack Strife
Summary: Zack revived from the dead by shin-ra to use as a new weapon against cloud? You bet! Set about half a year after FFVII. Enjoy my first fanfic!! NEW!!!! just been updated, with better chaptering.11/02/2001
1. Default Chapter

THE HOMECOMING

Beneath the Shin-ra building…

It was a cold dark night and the sharp wind whistled outside the laboratory windows. The cool sterile room decorated only in white was silent but for the low humming of a large metallic generator in the back corner. Thick grey wires protruded from it like ashen snakes, weaving their way along the floor to a large cryo-tube. It was a long cylindrical piece of metal with air locks fitted to the door, which had a clear panel that was quite transparent. There was a hissing as the door opened and in walked a tall man with fiery red hair wearing a respirator and a fine blue suit. He glanced into the tube to see the specimen contained inside, its flesh still bore the puncture wounds from the soldiers' rifles. A small hunched over scientist entered the room and the man in the suit turned to him, "I thought you said these wounds would heal within a month!" 

The frail scientist adjusted his glasses and replied timidly "w…w…well commander Reno, Hojo's notes were very minimalistic on the regeneration program" He backed away as Reno faced him angrily, "are you sure this is going to work?" he boomed.

"It is, err, most likely yes." The scientist said quietly edging further away like a timid animal from the hand of man. Reno turned back to the glass and looked through the glass once more, inside the man was dressed in only a pair of purple combat trousers and had wires coming from almost every orifice. His black hair wisped around him in the liquid filling the tube. His eyes were closed and he just floated there, as he was pumped full of chemical fluids, their defiling molecules and atoms surging through his veins. Reno smiled at his reflection and turned to leave the room, "Just make sure he is ready in one week, operation insider must be executed without fail!" he barked at the scientist. The scientist just winced and scuttled over to check the cryo-tubes pressure valve as Reno left the room, his footsteps echoing up the cold metallic steps. 


	2. Chapter 2

Deep in the city of Midgar…

Cloud Strife ran a hand through his blonde hair as he cradled his sword in his hands. He sat alone on the train that creaked and groaned as the light reflected brightly off Cloud's blade from the only working overhead in the carriage. He yawned loudly and the sound echoed through the dark empty surroundings. Having been placed as the tactical commander for Midgar was eating up a lot of the day. The people of Midgar were united as one now in a form of almost communism, neither riches nor social standard defined a person, they were judged on the depth of their character.

The whole of sector 7 had been rebuilt on top of the fallen plate and was only accessible by train or access tunnels, the dingy ashen wastes above refurbished and made just about liveable once again. Cloud had had to make a hard decision on how power would be provided, as he was concerned about the welfare of the planet. Digging into the earth's crust they discovered that there was a huge build up of noxious gas that they had named Xyclos gas. This gas was a great source of power when harnessed correctly and after a month the people of Midgar working together had replaced the Mako reactors with Geo-thermal power plants. These plants gathered the Xyclos and running it through transformers converted it into a large amount of electricity. However there was a problem. It was found that if combined by even the smallest amount of Mako the gas erupted into a form of green lava that was white hot and melted flesh, bone and even steel with ease.

Another thorn in his side was the Turks. They had not given up after they escaped Cloud in the underground railway tunnels under Midgar. They had completely taken over sectors 2 and 3 recruiting all civilians into the Turks. There were constant battles between the two groups, Cloud often leading the assaults himself. Unfortunately the Turk's main base was situated in the dank sewers and tunnels that led to the Shin-ra building. These tunnels were heavily guarded and assaults on them were impossible. Also inside the top levels of the Shin-ra building the Turk's scientists had created a large dispel radar that stopped all use of spells and summons. This radar made the tunnels leading to the building, with all their defence guns and troops, an impenetrable area. 

Now cloud spent a lot of time planning attacks and feeling down. Tifa's bar had been re-opened and it was a good place to drown his sorrows, finding out you're a phoney and then losing your life's love in the space of about a week isn't easy. Often he would gaze at the stars with Tifa as they had done so many times in their youth would feel that something or rather someone was missing. Tifa refrained from talking to him about Aeris and concentrated on trying to cheer him up, in fact the whole gang made an effort, even the dark and mysterious Vincent Valentine tried to help in his own way. Today he had taken Cloud to his favourite thinking spot where the two sat in silence for over an hour just contemplating their own thoughts. It had been a good experience for Cloud as the hour of peace was a nice break from explosions, gunfire and lugging his Ultima weapon around. He had realised that over the past two months he had not paid much attention to Tifa. His childhood friend has always been there for him since he lost Aeris and he never really took much notice. 

He felt very guilty and realised he had spent too much time in depression. It was just that Aeris had become very dear to him very quickly. He found it rather odd that although before he had only been in love with Tifa he suddenly forgot her and it was Aeris he was centred on. He decided there and then that he would have to repay his friend and try to get over Aeris. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but man was Tifa in for a surprise when she got home!


	3. Chapter 3

Later that day in the Shin-ra laboratory…

There was a terrible hissing sound as the huge cryo-tube opened and filled the room with a mist like gas. The liquid had been drained and the wires fell from the body of the contained man. When the mist cleared Reno could see the man crouched in the corner shivering like a frightened child. "It's okay, I won't hurt you. Come on out." Reno said softly. The figure rose to his feet and stepped out into the cold white room. He winced as the light invaded his eyes for the first time in almost 7 months. He stood up straight in front of Reno and tried to speak. "W…w…where am I?" he said silently. 

"Don't worry, we're just here to help, please sit here." Reno replied in that same soft fatherly tone. He motioned to a chair that had a high back with a headboard. This board had wires attached to a pair of goggles. It looked like a chair overgrown with black weeds as the cables coming from the goggles twisted around the base of the chair, spiralling back up to the headboard. The man rubbed his eyes and brushed his wet black hair to one side. He sat down in the chair as instructed. "Now put those goggles on." Reno continued. The seated figure did as he was told. Reno moved to behind a large computer panel in the back left corner of the blank sterile room, where he was joined by the scientist he had spoken to three days ago. "Now talk me through this again." Said Reno, his voice returning to its usual harsh uncaring tone.

"Well commander," replied the scientist in a frightened style, "the goggles will show him images of his life in soldier and in service to the Shin-ra. Then it will show Cloud trying to destroy Shin-ra's base in Junon. Next Cloud will slaughter this guy's family and then impale him with his sword. I think that this will put him under our control for definite and he will be more than ready to kill Cloud." 

"Excellent, activate the device!" Reno yelled.

The room was filled with a green flash and then the seated man began to cry out as the phoney memories probed their way into his brain. When the bright flashes had subsided the man was sweating as if he had just run from Midgar to Wutai and back. He was panting heavily and Reno moved over to him and removed the goggles. "Stand up and tell me who you are." He said.

The man stood up and saluting he cried "Yes sir commander Reno, I am Soldier first Class…

…ZACK!" 


	4. Chapter 4

Even later that day…

Tifa returned home after a hard day's work at the bar. Business at 7th heaven was booming and she was always swept off her feet. It was nice to be home and she looked at the house as she entered the gate, she and Cloud shared a large place in the depths of sector 7. It was a large three story white building with a small extension on the side. She was amazed to notice a black sports car parked outside. The shed where Cloud and Cid did their inventing was in need of new paint and probably patching up the bullet holes in the wall would be a nice idea. Cid was always inventing new weapons or defence systems and Cloud loved to try them out. As she unlocked the door she notice that there was a dim light coming from inside. She entered to find that the light was coming from candles place in the living room. She saw rose petals scattered across the floor and there was a note amongst them. It read; 

'_Dearest Tifa,_

I require of you a simple service, put on one of your nice dresses and go and sit in the passenger seat of the sports car outside…

From ?'

She smiled and went upstairs to change. She put on a nice black dress with a cut off top, which showed off her large breasts nicely. She went downstairs carefully in her high heels and locked up before sitting in the passenger seat of the unlocked sports car. She was sitting there for a little while when she began to grow impatient and she said aloud, "what is going on?" Suddenly she felt breathing on her neck and turned to see loud in a tuxedo hiding behind her seat. "God you scared me!" She said, somewhat annoyed.

"Sorry." He replied leaping into the front seat.

"What's with all this then?" Tifa asked curiously.

"What, can't I surprise a beautiful girl every now and then?" He said cooly.

Tifa knew she was beginning to blush and cloud added " I wanted to thank you for being so patient with me."

She seemed startled and replied almost instantly, "Patient, me? I know you've suffered a lot and as your friend I will always be here for you."

"Thank you Tifa" He replied with clear sincerity. Then he lightened the mood, "well lets go!" 

Tifa chuckled and said, "where are we going?"

Cloud simply gave her a little wink and said, "that would be telling!"

With that he drove the car to the Highwind, stationed at Cid's new workshop in sector 5. They took the airship to the Gold Saucer where cloud paid for their tickets. They went into the Cable car ride and began to talk as it made its way around the park. The bright lights of the amusement park flashed all around like mutli-coloured fireflies. "Tifa I want to tell you something that I have never even dared to contemplate for more than one moment."

Tifa looked startled by the emotion in her friend's eyes replied calmly. "Please tell me."

Cloud looked up at her and was momentarily startled by her beauty. He took a deep breath and said, "This may sound strange so try to follow it carefully. I want to get over Aeris, I know I do, but it almost seems like my mind won't let me let her go. It's like every time I think about trying to get over it all, the thought is pushed from my mind."

Tifa looked rather confused and said in a bewildered fashion, "I don't fully understand Cloud."

He sighed and said "Although it sounds weird its like my mind won't let me forget her."

This really confused Tifa and all she could say is, "I'll help in any way I can, just name it."

Cloud felt a sudden urge to kiss her, he leant forward but as he did so he saw flashes of Aeris, which hurt his mind. He looked to his left and saw the figure of Aeris sitting in the booth, looking out of the window. She was in the same position as when they had had their date almost 6 months ago. He fell to the floor of the carriage an heard Tifa gasp but it was too late and he spiralled into unconsciousness. 


	5. Chapter 5

In the sewers under Sector 7, at the time of Cloud's collapse…

Zack is walking through the dank constrictive tunnels of the sewer with hate burning like a hot coal in his brain. He knows he had been given a second chance to destroy his enemy, the traitor Cloud Strife, and he intends to do just that. He was not going for the full on attack approach, oh no. Commander Reno had taught him well since his childhood and the Shin-ra was the only family he had ever known. He knew that he could strike hardest by removing the resistance, Cloud's loyal followers. He knew that without them his enemy's reign of evil would be over and the glorious Shin-ra could retake control and lead these savages to peace. He pulled on a Latex mask complete with wig and stopping before the entrance grate picked up a broken mirror and dusted of the grime. He looked at himself and began to laugh in a sinister fashion. For there, reflected in the glass, was the exact face of Cloud Strife… 


	6. Chapter 6

A hospital ward in Costa Del Sol…

Tifa paced back and forth impatiently in the clean white corridor, trying her utmost to exclude the disinfectant smell from her nose. The hallway was quite bare aside from a couple of armchairs for waiting visitors and a table holding a couple of magazines. The paint was peeling from the walls slightly and once again Tifa tried to ignore the 'hospital smell'. She sat in one of the chairs and began to half-heartedly thumb through a copy of Materia Today. She was halfway through a column about growing Materia when a nurse opened the door to Tifa's left and said, "Erm, Miss Tifa? Your friend is conscious now and wants to see you before the doctor returns with his test results." Tifa put down the magazine and followed the nurse into a small room containing only a bed, small table and a pot-plant. Cloud was laying on the bed with a bandage round his forehead and ear that resembled a bandanna. There was blood on the part covering his ear. "Oh Cloud are you ok?" She asked.

"God…I feel like…shit." He breathed weakly.

Tifa smiled, trying to put on a brave face. Just then the doctor returned with a clipboard with some X-rays and printouts on it. "Mayor Cloud?," he said "we seem to have found what is wrong but…we…er."

"What is it!" Cried Tifa impatiently

"Well, There was something lodged in your friends brain, but we have no idea what it is."

"I…want to…see it!" Cloud whispered weakly.

"Yes of course" replied the doctor. He pulled a long metal thing from his pocket. It looked just like a small metallic dragonfly. It gleamed dully in the light, still covered in traces of blood. Tifa felt like retching. Cloud just stared at the thing with a distant look in his eyes.

"It appears," announced the doctor, "that the 'legs' were probing into your friends brain. It appears to give out electrical impulses when triggered by certain thoughts. We are unsure which as we have no idea where it came from."

"I bet it was sent by the Shin-ra!" Said Tifa angrily.

"No, I don't believe so," the doctor cut in, "it is made from a rare material found only in the northern crater."

"Sephiroth!" breathed Cloud helplessly.

" I do believe it may be," the doctor added, "but the thing is, this thing appears to have originally been rolled up in a ball. Its 'life-span' as it were, goes far further back then when you first encountered him at… the records say… Junon Harbour."

"So who could have done this?" said Tifa pleadingly, longing to know of the things origin.

"Whoever it was must have been in direct contact with your friend about 6 months ago, where it would have hatched after about 2 days afterwards." Said the doctor calmly.

"I…must…explore the north cave…for clues!" Cloud whimpered softly.

"You do as you wish but I will keep this thing. Also I'm afraid I can't let you go right now. Rest here the night and if your condition has improved in the morning I'll let you go." Said the doctor sympathetically.

"I'll keep you company Cloud." Said Tifa.

The doctor and the nurse left leaving the two on their own. Tifa cast her mind back to when they were in the car. She was sure Cloud was going to kiss her before he blacked out. She had to know. "Cloud, when we were in the cable car did you…" She trailed off noticing Cloud had fallen into a deep sleep. She settled back in her chair and thought of their journey to the northern cave the next day. She yawned and said, "goodnight Cloud…

…My love."


	7. Chapter 7

At the sewer entrance grate to Sector 7…

Zack sat alone in the cold thinking about his lost family. His hate for Cloud seemed to keep him warm, but not warm enough. He lit a small fire and began to eat his rations. He had been called by Commander Reno telling him that at the present Cloud was hospitalised and so any attempt to impersonate him would be in jeopardy of failure.

He sat there staring blankly at the moss-covered wall and twiddled his dog tags between his fingers. In the dingy half light he could just make out the inscription; 'Zack – Soldier first class'

One thing troubled Zack. Although he racked his brain he could not remember his last name, no matter how hard he tried to think it did not come to him. In his simple state (The process having removed some important memories) he decided that he must not have a last name. With this problem sorted he went back to consuming his rations and plotting his revenge…


	8. Chapter 8

Next day, aboard the Highwind…

Cloud walked briskly from the meeting room to the bridge, the effects of yesterday's fatigue having left him. When he reached the bridge he told the pilot to take them back to North Cave. The pilot confirmed and Cloud went to sit with Tifa. "Feeling better?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yes, thank you." He replied, then adding, "I seem to be thinking straighter today."

"It must have been awful having that 'thing' inside your head!" Tifa said sadly.

"Yes but now what is important is finding out how it got there!" he replied with a steely hint of determination. The two sat in perpetual silence for the rest of the journey.

"Here we are sir!" Called the pilot.

"Thanks, at ease!" Cloud called back.

Cloud and Tifa gathered their things and climbed the rope ladder down into the crater. As they followed the same path as before they both began to feel increasingly nervous. There was a strange magical humming coming from the dusty, crumbling walls and Cloud surveyed their surroundings uneasily. When they finally reached the core they were face to face with what seemed to be a huge mirror wall. They could see their reflections staring back, but in the background was, the two couldn't believe what they saw, but yes there in the mirror was an image of the Shin-ra mansion in Nibelheim!

Cloud cautiously reached forward to touch the mirror and on doing so it rippled like water. He turned to Tifa and said "Here goes nothing!" with that he jumped into the mirror. All cloud could see was white light and then he landed in the doorway to the mansion. This however was not the real Nibelheim, there was only the mansion surrounded by a Black Forest. All of a sudden Tifa landed on all fours beside him and, dusting herself down, followed him through the front door.

The inside of the mansion was the same as before and the two made their way to the darkest part of its inside-the basement.

Upon entering their nostrils were filled with the stench of chemicals and as they entered the main chamber (which used to be the library) a laboratory confronted them. "Wow! Sephiroth created all this?" exclaimed Tifa in awe. 

"Look for something about that mind-probe thing." Said Cloud in return.

They practically turned over the laboratory and found some files on the probe itslef but nothing of the carrier. Cloud turned on the main computer and began to search the archives. He came across a file called the Android Experimentally Rendered Intelligence System. A.E.R.I.S. for short!

Cloud instantly opened the file and as he did so his face fell.

"No…no…it can't be!" he sobbed and left the terminal, running upstairs.

Tifa ran to the machine and scrolled through the file she read aloud.

"The Aeris project is running as scheduled. The android mind-probe carrier will be operational within a day. I know that my old enemy Cloud is back in Midgar and working for AVALANCHE. He is at this time dismounting a train to destroy the first Mako reactor. If he finds out about my return he will surely try and stop me. The Aeris is my defence against him. By sending it into the field I will use it to input a probe into Cloud's mind, forcing his mind to think he is in love with this 'girl'. Then she will lure him back here and I shall kill him…"

("hmm the next one is dated a month later?") 

"The Aeris is suffering from an unexpected flaw. Although the probe was implanted in a small church in the sector 5 slums about 29 days ago the Aeris unit itself is starting to malfunction. Obviously using parts of a human brain for the CPU was a bad idea for it appears the unit believes itself to be in love with Cloud…"

("next ones dated the next day")

"The Aeris project has been terminated. The unit was to 'infatuated' with its target and would not have lead Cloud here. I had to put a stop to it before the Aeris revealed my plans so yesterday afternoon I surprised all those fools by ambushing them at the city of the ancients and destroying the Aeris unit myself. This does have a positive outcome however. It seems Cloud will be wrought with guilt and jealously and so when the time comes will be no match for me in combat. The time draws near…

…Where are you Cloud.

~~ Sephiroth ~~

Tifa came away from the monitor with tears streaming down her face. She could not believe they had all been deceived by and android flower girl. She felt especially bad for Cloud. In truth he had never loved Aeris, his mind just forced him to think so. She wiped the tears from her eyes and ran upstairs to join her comrade. She tried to speak but he shushed her. He began to sprint back up through the mirror and he cave and she just followed his lead. When they boarded the Highwind she heard Cloud say something to the pilot about the city of the ancients then she heard him mutter

'I have to be sure' 


	9. Chapter 9

Sector 7, a busy morning in the market…

Zack once more put on the latex mask and then, masked in the face of the one he despised, walked out into the market place. His fingers twitched as he stood right in the centre of a circular area of the market, about 30 metres in radius, and prepared for the spell.

All the patrons of the market, bustling along on their business, hardly noticed their beloved mayor standing in the centre with flames about his fists. This was to be their downfall…

Zack spread his feet and began to fire off balls of crimson flame in the direction of the stalls. The white-hot balls whistled through the air and once connecting with their wooden targets exploded into showers of fire.

People ran in all directions screaming and yelling as fear filled their very souls. They ran in random patterns, not entirely certain of what to do. Zack decided for them. Drawing his sword he leapt into the crowd, attacking and slashing wildly, cutting a bloody swathe through the civilians. They screamed in terror, trying desperately to avoid his deadly attacks. In a matter of moments Zack was left standing alone in the small market area surrounded by blood and flames. He wiped off his sword and was about to leave when he saw a man, probably a market vendor, crawling along on his stomach. The fire had disintegrated his legs and he whimpered as he tried to escape his doom.

Zack laughed as he saw the pathetic man trying to leave the scene of carnage. He realised killing him was not an option, there must be a survivor to tell of how the 'evil' Cloud had turned into a raving madman and destroyed dozens of innocent lives. He pulled a small black box from his uniform pockets and pressed a green button located on his shiny metallic surface. In moments a helicopter came on overhead and a rope ladder was dropped down in front of him. He climbed up into the chopper and pulled off the mask. He sat smiling in silence as the chopper took him back to the Shin-ra building…


End file.
